Said childs and witheeell



3 Sheets-Sheet 2-.

(No Model.)

B. F. DE COSTA, E. GHILDS & -P. D'. WITHERELL.

CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINE.

N0. 367,795,. Patented Aug. 9, 1887'.

NV'INTEIRS 2:14;

WITNESEES;

(No Model.) 3-Sheets-Sheet 3. B. F. DE COSTA, E. OHILDS & F. D. WITHERELL.

GYLINDERPRINTING MAGHINE. No. 367,795. Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

n mmmlmm WITNEEEEE- I e INVEN TEIRi UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. DE COSTA, EUGENE CHILDS, AND FRANK D. ,WITHEREDL, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS; SAID CHILDS AND VVITHERELL ASSIGNORS TO SAID DE COSTA.

CYLINDER PR INT I NG,-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,795, dated August 9, 1887.

Application filed July 27, 1886.

To all whom it 11mg concern: 7

Be it k nown that we, BENJAMIN F. DE COSTA, EUGENE OHILDs, and FRANK D.VITHERELL, all of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, all citizens of the United States, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in CylinderPrinting-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being being had to the accompanying drawings,forming' a part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

The invention relates to the class of printing-presses employing a vertically-movable form-cylinder and a reciprocating bed; audit comprises various details of construction and organization,whereby the cost of manufacture is lessened, its durability increased, and its efficiency promoted.

Referring to. the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of our printingpress. Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views of a portion. of the mechanism for operating the cylinder, to which reference will hereinafter be made. Figs. 4 and,5 are detail views of devices for actuating the paper nippers and paper-edge lifters, hereinafter described. I Fig. 6 is a vertical central section of the machine. Fig. 7 is a detail view in section and elevation of a portion of the mechanism for depressing the im-' pression-cylinder. Figs. 8 and 9 are views in elevation of one end of the cylinder, and represent various positions of the nipper-shaft cam in relation thereto. Fig. 10isaview,part in cross vertical section and part in elevation, of the central and upper parts of the machine. Figs. 11 and 12 are views to illustrate the operation of the paper-nippers and of the, paper-1i fters employed.

In the drawings, A is the frame of thema chine. B is thebed, which is mounted upon the rolls or anti-friction supports 1), and is reciprocated by means of the rock-lever b and crank b. The rock-lever is pivoted at b and is connected with the bed B by the movable extension b,which is pivoted at its upper end to a lug or projection extending downward from the under surface of the bed. This extension 1) slides ina hole, bi in the main section of the rock-lever,and it is held therein Serial No. 209,214. No model.)

by the springs I), placed between theplates or spring-holders b extending from each side of the bar I) through slots in the main part of the lever. These springs act to exert a down ward yielding pressure upon the extension bar or rod 2), and consequently upon the bed B, so that the bed is steadied thereby upon its supports during its reciprocating movement. The crank b is operated by the shaft C, which is driven by the large gear-wheel c thereon and the pinion c 011 the pulley-shaft c".

Heretofore it has been customary in this form of press to operate the impression-cyliuder D directly from the gear 0, the said gear 0 meshing with a gear upon the shaft of the impression-cylinder. This construction is defective in that the impression-cylinder is thus provided with a uniform rate ofrotatiou,while the bed,when moved by a crank and rock-lever, is provided with a movement which varies in speed according as the crank-pin approaches or moves away from the pivot I) of the lever; and this is apt to produce a dragging action of the form upon the impression-cylinder, whichtends to prevent good work being done. To overcome this defect, we have caused the impression-cylinder D to be rotated by the bed uponits forward movement, orwhile the impression-cylinder is in contact with the form; but while. the impression cylinder is lifted from the form it is rotated by the gear a.

Ve would here state that the impression cylinder makes two revolutions for every full reciprocation of the bed, and that it is moved placed upon the shaft (Z of the impression-cylinder a loose spur-gear, d, which has alinlited rotation thereon in opposition to aspring, d", and which is positively rotated by the gearwheel 0, which meshes with it. The gear- Wheel-d has a long hub, cl, is counterbored to provide a recess, (1", for the reception of the coil-spring d", whichsurronnds the shaft, and

one end of which-is attached to the gear d and the other end to a collar, (1", keyed or fastened to the shaft (1. The collar is counterbored to provide a recess for receiving one end of the sprin There is also secured to the impression-cylinder D another gear-wheel, d", which engages the teeth of the rack (I on the bed 13. (See Fig. 1.) There is also arranged to project from the collar d", which is, as we have mentioned, keyed to the shaft (1, an arm or lug, d, which is adapted to come in contact with and bear against an arm or pin, 11, extending inward horizontally from the gear (1'. (Sec Figs. 2 and 3.)

In operation the bed B upon its forward movement causes the impressioncylinder to be rotated by the engagement of the rackteeth with the teeth of the pinion d", and as the movement of the cylinder when thus rotated is faster than the movement of the gearwheel d, while the shaft 11 rotates in relation to the gear (1 in opposition to the spring :1 a port-ion of a rotation sufiicientto give the surface of the impression-cylinder the same rate of speed as the surface of the bed B, this movement of course is not very great, perhaps not more than five-eighths of an inch, yet it is sufficient for the practical results required.

Upon the completion of the forward movement of the bed and the lifting of the impression-cylinder the spring serves to return the gear d and impression-eylinder, to bring the lug d in contactwith the stop d. This spring not only serves the useful result above indicated in connection with the loose gear (1, but it also serves to create a tension or dragging action upon the gear (1 and impressiomcylinder, so that the front surfaces of the teeth of the gear (1 are kept in contact and maintained in contact with the front surfaces of the teeth of the rack, and a steady movement of the bed and imprcssion-cylinder is thus obtained, as it prevents any play of the gear-teeth in relation to the rack-teeth during the forward movement of the bed.

To deliver the paper to the impression-cylinder,wc use a table, E, which is mounted upon brackets 0 and has an inclined surface 0. The impression cylinder carries the nippers 0?, which are, so far as their nipping action is concerned, like the ordinary nippcrs of this form of press; but they are caused to be actuated in a different manner. \Ve also use, in connection with the impression-cylinder, the paper-lifters c", paper-guides c, and tape-couveyers c c.

\Ve will first describe the construction and method of operation of the papcr-nippcrs.

The nippcrs are carried or supported by a shaft, 0 whiclrextends from one head of the impression cylinder to the other, and are shaped to extend upon the surface of the cylinder adjacent to the opening a, to keep the paper presented from the table 15 and hold it upon the surface of the cylinder during the rotation of the cylinder, for presenting the sheet to the form-that is, the rotation which takes place when the impression cylinder is moved downward, or in its lowest positon. The nippcrs are held closed upon the edge of the paper until very nearly to the end of this rotation, when they are automatically released and the lifting-lingers 0 caused to be moved upward to lift the front edge of the sheet into a position to ride upon the upper surface of the guides 0. (See Fig. 12.)

As before stated, the nippers are secured to the shaft 0 This shaft carries at its end a cam-plate, 0", (see Figs. 4, 5, S, 9, and 10,) and this cam-plate has a small recess or groove, 0, extending through it, and also has attached to one end, by a pivot, e, a rod, 0", which is so cured to the head 0" of the cylinder by a stud or post, 0, having a hole in it in which the rod is free to more. The coil-spring c sur rounds the rod and bears against the collar 0" thereon, and serves to constantly push the rod outward from its post or support 0'.

To bring the nippers into position to engage the edge of the paper, it is necessary to rotate this eaurplate a half-revolution in one dircc tion, and to open or throwback the nippers it is necessary to reverse this movement. It is also necessary to hold the nippers closed upon the edge ofthe paper or wide open, and to do this we employ the spring-held rod 0, which operates to hold the cam in two positionsnamely, when the nippers are closed upon the paper and when they are thrown back and wide open. This device, as well as the cam, is not new. The cam is rotated by means of two pins, ff. (Sec Figs. 5 and 10.) ()neof these fingers is adapted to operate to revolve the cam in a direction to open the nippers, and of course each must be actuated to engage the cam only upon every second revolution of the impressioncylinder. To accomplish this, we mount the pin in a suitableholdenf, carried by the frame of the machine, and arrange the spring 1"" upon each pin, to press it outward or away from the cam, so that each pin is held from contact with the cam until it is moved into contact therewith, and to obtain this movement at the proper time we employ a facecam, f, on the inner surface of the gearwhcel f which is mounted upon the short shaftf", rotated by the small gearf upon the end of the shaft (1. (See Fig. 10.)

The gearf is of a size to make a half-revolution for every full revolution of the gearf, so that the cam f makes one complete revolution for every two revolutions of the impressioncylinder, and it serves to alternate] y move i uward the fingers fffirst, the finger f, to cause the cam to be turned to bring the nip pers in contact with the edge of the paper which has been fed to the imprcssion-cylinder from the table E, and, second, near the end of the rotation to rotate the cam in the reverse direction to throwback the nippers and release the end of the paper. At that instant the lifters c" are caused to be operated. They are loosely mounted upon the shaft 0, and are moved upward every alternate revolution of the impressioncylinder by means of thcarm or lever g, which is fastened to a pivot cross-rod, 9, extending from one head of the impressioncylinder to the other, and which is connected with the arm 9 extending from the hub of the lifting-finger, by a jointed connection, 9. This arm or lever is moved to throw thelil'ting-fingers c outward upon contact of its end with a pin, 9, which extends from the side of the frame of the machine, (see Fig. 10,) and they are held lifted so long as the arm 9 is in contact with this pin. Of coursethe arm, being carried by an impression-cylinder, is'rocked by the pin. The fingers are thus lifted at the proper time and held lifted sufficiently long to cause the front edge of the paper to lap upon the stationary guiding-fingers e, and by the continued movement of the impression-cylinder it rides up the guide-fingers and is seized by the tapes 0 c and conducted by them to the receiving-table H. (See Fig. 6.) The fingers are lifted to thus cause the removal or delivery of the sheets only when the impressioncylinder is in its lowest position. \Vhen the impression-cylinder is at its highest position, it makes a full rotation without calling the .liftingfingers into action, the end of the arm 9 then passing over the pin 9, and as'it does not come in contact therewith of course the lifting-fingers are not operated.

The tapes are rotated by means of the gear (1 upon theimpression-cylinder shaft d,which. meshes with the gear it upon the tape-roll shaft h. This shaft carries the tape-rolls and the pulley 712*, which, by means of the beltlh and pulley h, rotates the upper tape-roll shaft, 71?, and motion is communicated to the lower shaft, h h of the lower tape-roll by means of I those common in this form of press, and need not be further described here.

The advantages of the construction are durability and efficiency, both in quality of the work done and. in quantity, and they arise from the simplicity of construction and by the use of a slow-down bedmovement, in connection with the manner of rotating the impression'cylinder, and also from the improved sheet-delivering mechanism employed.

The impressioncylinder, as we have before stated, at the end of the forward movement of the bed B lifts to its highest position, and its lifting movement disengages the teeth of the gear (1 from the teeth of the rack d,- but this upward movement is not sufficient to disengage the teeth of the gear d from the teeth of the gear 0, so that the rotation of the impression-cylinder continues, but at a regular rate of speed and not at an accelerating and decreasing rate of speed, as when moved by the rack (1 V Of course the connection between the bed and the impressioircylinder, for the purpose of making the surface speed of each uniform while the cylinder is in contact with the form, may be employed with any device for giving *the bed a movement that isirregular or not uniform, or of the same speed throughout its forward movement, so that we do not confine ourselves in this portion of the invention to a bedoperated by a crank and rock-lever. It is not necessary, of course, that the spring for operating the gear cl should be held or con fined in a recess formed in the hub of the gear, as there are many other methods of applying the spring thereto to provide the impressioncylinder shaft with a restricted movement in relation to it.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1.,The combination of the impression roll or cylinder, the liftingrfinge'rs 6", supported upon the shaft 6 the lever 9, carried by the rod and connected with thelifting-fingers, and the stationary pin g, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a printing-press, of'9o the bed B, reciprocated by a rock-lever and crank, and carrying a rack, d, with an impression-cylinder having the gear d", secured thereto and adapted to engage the rack at when the impression-cylinder is depressed, the 5 loose gear (1', its controlling-spring d", the pin or projection (1, extending from the side of the said gear, the arm or projection d fastened to the impression-cylinder shaft d, and the driving-gear c, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In a printing press, an impression cylinder having vertical movements and adapted while depressed to be rotated by the gear re ceiving its motion from a rack uponthe reciprocating bed of the machine, and when in its highest position bya loose gear having a restrictedv movement in relation to its shaft, and a driven gear-wheel adapted to mesh with said gear, substantially as described.

4E. The combination, in a printing-press, of the bed B, the crank b the rock-lever I), having the extension bar or rod 1), connecting it with the bed, and a spring or springs for providing said extensionbar with a yielding movement in relation to the rock-lever,all sub stantially as and for the purposes described.

5. The combination of the bedv B, rock-lever Z), crank b extensionbar b, arms N, and the springs b, adapted to bear against surface of the lever, I), substantially as and for the. purposes described. i

BENJAMIN F. DE COSTA. EUGENE OHILDS.

FRANK D. XVITHERELL.

\Vitnesses: F. F. RAYMOND, 2d, J. M. DOLAN.

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